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Saturday, December 31, 2011

As I have mentioned many times before, the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast is my favorite of the week. Today's site, Embroidery Everywhere was chock-full of inspiration. I actually did three projects based on the embroidered images on the site.

The first card was inspired by this Tranquility Tree. A fellow-SCSer Mary (a/k/a jandjccc) sent me some window diecuts (while I wait to order and receive the dies) to use. What a great diecut! I stamped the image from a Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, set called A Trip to Lancaster, coloring it with Copic markers. I embossed the cardbase with a Sizzix bricked embossing folder and then glued on the window scene.

My second card was inspired by this Retro Lemonade image. I used a layout from Page Maps to get started. The lemon was stamped twice -- one of which I cut out and popped up. I used DP from Basic Grey's Nook and Pantry paper pack.

My third project was actually made initially for Speedy's Friends Challenge #88 -- to use a snowflake. Looking for something that would be appropriate for a snowglobe and snowflakes, I found this embroidered snowman. It's hard to see behind all that glitter, but there definitely are snowflakes stamped on the paper. I bought the snowglobe kit from Hobby Lobby and used a retired set from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, called Snowman Country. I love that little snowman!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

I've been trying to add some masculine cards to my stash this week. Here are two of them:

The first one was done for Friday's Free4All challenge on Splitcoast -- to make a tri-fold card. One of my favorite types of tri-fold card is the Joy Fold Card. You can find the directions for this fold in the Resource Section of SCS. I used Green Forest and Hazelnut Tan cardstock from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, for the panel bases, and two different designer papers from Basic Grey's Oxford paper pad. The image, a new favorite, is from MFP's brand-new set New Pines, and stamped onto MFP Fresh Cream.

On the inside I stamped the single pinecone and overstamped the sentiment in Versafine Olympic Green.

My second guy card was made for the Inspiration Challenge on SCS. Pam Stang had suggested Urban Art Loft as the inspiration site this week. Believe me, it is chock full of all kinds of inspiration. I chose this print as my inspiration. I used the barn scene from MFP's A Trip to Lancaster for the main image, coloring it with Copic markers. The paper I used was MFP's Deepest Mahogany, Hazelnut Tan, Desert Tan, and Snow Storm Smooth. I added some trim with a thin strip of the Deepest Mahogany.

So I've got a few more guy cards in my stash now. Several birthdays are coming up, and I will surely use these. Thanks for stopping by my blog and hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Pucker Up Featured December 13Pussy Willows Featured December 14Ice and Snow Featured December 14New Pines Featured December 15

I'm still making Christmas cards, so in addition to an image from today's set, New Pines, my first card has a Christmas sentiment from another MFP set, Greetings of the Season mini set. I still had some MFP Robin's Egg cardstock on my desk from one of yesterday's cards, so I stamped the two trees onto it rather than on white. To "cover up" the blue on the trees, I added some snow -- by way of Polar White Flower Soft.

I think my last card of the blog hop is my favorite. Masculine cards are always a challenge, but these pinecones made it so much easier. Stamped on MFP Corn Husk cardstock and colored with Copic markers, I matted them with several layers (MFP Deepest Mahogany and Corn Husk) and popped the panel up on pop dots. The background paper is from Basic Grey's Oxford paper pad.

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

This month's New Stamp Set Releases arePucker Up Featured December 13Pussy Willows Featured December 14Ice and Snow Featured December 14New Pines Featured December 15

My gatefold card for the Pussy Willow set is rotated from yesterday's gatefold card layout. I love pussy willows -- they remind me of my childhood. When I was a kid, we used to put pussy willows in jars of colored water. As the water was drawn up into the stems, the pussy willows would change color. I had rows of different colored pussy willows sitting on my window sill.

For my second card, I stamped the large and small branches onto a piece of MFP Hurricane Gray cardstock to make my own background. Using a layout from Page Maps, I made one of the sentiments from this set into the focal point of my card.

The second set for today is Ice and Snow. My gatefold card is pretty straight forward. I stamped the trees onto a piece of MFP Robins's Egg cardstock, which is slightly mottled, giving the sky a realistic look. I cut one side off to make the image asymmetrical and added the deer image.

I love the icicles from this set and stamped them across the top of the background piece, adding some Icicle Stickles, and then stamped the large snowflake with some Memento Summer Sky ink. The sentiment was cut out using Spellbinders Labels Four (both regular and small sets) and popped up with pop dots. I punched out some snowflakes and scattered them around.

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Pucker Up Featured December 13Pussy Willows Featured December 14Ice and Snow Featured December 14New Pines Featured December 15

I like doing fun folds, so my first card for this month's blog hop is a gatefold card. I used the large lemon image for my focal panel, coloring it with Copic markers. The patterned paper is from Basic Grey's Nook and Pantry paper pad. How appropriate was that paper with its sliced lemons and other fruit.

For my second card I used the smaller lemons and cut them out with circle nesties, matted in two different papers from Basic Grey's Urban Prairie DP pad. I punched the top of the background paper with an EK Success border punch.

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

The icicles were stamped in ColorBox Silver pigment ink and embossed with Detail Silver embossing powder. Using Copic Opaque White paint, I colored them in and then added some Icicle Stickles. The sentiment and snowflakes were stamped in Stampin' Up Whisper White and embossed with Winter Wonderland embossing powder, which has some silver sparkles in it. I guess my favorite embellishment would be ribbon, especially when paired with a stickpin or two.

I did wind up making two cards for the inspiration challenge. I chose this little church ornament as the starting point for my second card.

Colored with Copic markers in the same colors as the ornament, this church reminds me so much of the mission church I attended as a child in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This week's SCS sketch challenge seemed to be a good layout to highlight the church scene. The designer paper is from the Authentique Wonder paper pad.

I used MFP Cherry Slush and Greener Green cardstock and some Paper Pizazz designer paper for the panels.

The sentiment on the front is from a retired MFP set, but the Santa on the inside is from a mini set called Snowball Fun. I "borrowed" Geri's chimney idea for the card holder, inking up the Sizzix Bricked embossing folder with SU Whisper White ink before I ran the cardstock through my Cuttlebug. I used some Detail White embossing powder to bring out the pattern of the bricks.

I will be making several more of these gift card boxes because I tend to give many gift cards at Christmas, and these boxes are so much more creative than an envelope! Thanks so much, Geri, for your wonderful inspiration.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Hello and welcome to The Mark’s Finest Papers a Heinrich Company, and Technique Junkie Newsletter joint Blog Hop! The Technique Junkie Newsletter is excited to show case their new 3D and Fun Folds CD.

The Technique Junkie Newsletter has been publishing rubber stamping technique tutorials since 2002. The 3D and Fun Folds CD contains 70 step-by-step technique tutorials in pdf format – perfect dimensions, perfect directions and great pictures for every step. Visit www.techniquejunkies.com/ for more details about the CD and the Technique Junkie Newsletter.

A fantastic group of design team members from both the Mark’s Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, and the Technique Junkie Newsletter, have helped put together this fabulous Blog Hop to kick off the 3D and Fun Folds Cd.

We have a Blog Hop happening each day with an opportunity for you to win many prizes from some of our wonderful advertising companies! Please stop through EVERY DAY and take your time visiting each blog! You have until 11:59pm EST December 2nd to leave comments on as many blogs as you can to win the Grand Prize.

On Saturday, December 3, Pat from Technique Junkie Newsletter will announce the winners from each company. Be sure to hop along on each day! There will be FIVE WINNERS! On Monday, December 5th, Pat will announce ONE LUCKY WINNER with a GRAND PRIZE with a bundle of prizes from all of the participating businesses.

If you have been following along already you should have come from Created by Ann. If you are only starting here, please head back to the Technique Junkie Blog and go from there. You won't want to miss any stops along the way – in order to win you will need to comment on everyone’s blog AND Pat Huntoon’s Blog. There will be an additional chance to win by playing along in her Blog Hop!

Here are my projects for the hop. The first one is the Top Note Box. This church scene from MFP's Christmas in the Country is one of my favorites. I colored it with Copic markers in shades of gray and sponged the sky with Tim Holtz Distressed Inks Tumbled Glass and Chipped Sapphire. I wrapped some silver cord several times around the rectangular panel and added the sentiment, which I punched out with a Word Window punch.

You can make either two or four sections for the inside -- depending upon what you want to put in there. I attached the lid with a square piece of black vellum.

My second project is a Desktop Perpetual Calendar Box. The sentiment on the front is from an MFP set called Brick Wall, and I thought the Sizzix Bricked embossing folder would be a perfect complement. I finally got the "ink up the embossing folder" technique mastered, and I love the way it turned out. The flowers were made with a 3-piece Sizzix accordian-fold flower die set, which is also available from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company.

The tutorial also includes the calendar pages.

Your next stop on the hop is Chris Dickinson, but just in case there are any hiccups, here is the whole list of celebrants on this Blog Hop!

Clownmom

A little about me

My name is Lois, and I've been stamping since 2006. I retired a couple of years ago; and, although I volunteer at my church and a local non-profit, I do spend a great deal of my energies on this exciting hobby. My late husband and I raised three children, and I have eight grandchildren -- from age 9 to 27.